Thirds to johnt



No Model.)

E. T. KNIGHT.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

No. 597,852. Patented Jan 25. 1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT tries.

ELLIVOOD T. KNIGHT, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO- THIRDS'IO JOHN T. AIIRENS AND ROBERT G. HARMON, OF SAME PLACE.

BOTTLE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,852, dated January25, 1898.

Application filed April 23, 1897. Serial No. 633,528. (No model.)

To all whom it rrtay concern:

Be it known that I, ELLWOOD '1. KNIGHT,

a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at lVilmington, in the county ofNew Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Bottle-Stoppers, and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake anduse the same.

My invention relates to bottle-stoppers of the class which permit thedecanting or dis charge of the contents of a bottle, but prevent theunauthorized refilling of the same.

A characteristic feature of my inventionis the arrangement of the valveand stopper devices hereinafter described within a cap secured to theneck of the bottle, as distinguished from the location of these partswithin the bottle-neck.

Other novel features of the invention will be described hereinafter anddefined in the appended claims.

2 5 In the accompanying drawingspl igure 1 is an elevation of a portionof a bottle provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection of a bottle-neck with my improved stopper applied thereto. Figs.3, 4:, and 5 are longitudinal sectional views showin g the inventionwith the bottle-neck in different positions, and Fig. 6 is a view inper.- spective of the guard or protector detached from the cap.

The reference-numeral 1 indicates a bottle having a neck In Figs. 1 and2 the neck 2 is provided at its upper end with external screwthreads 3to engage corresponding threads 4, formed on the lower depending portionof the cap 5. \Vhile I do not restrict myself to any specific means forsecuring the cap upon the bottle-neck, I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2means for this purpose which I have found to be efficient. I form asmall .5 circular depression 6 in onset the threads of the neck 2,capable of receiving a small spherical body, such as a shot 7, and inone of the depressions between the threads of the cap a circular outwardbulge or enlargement 8 is provided, into which the shot is placed beforethe cap is applied. After the cap is screwed to place upon thebottle-neck the shot drops into the depression 6, and the projection 8,which will then be opposite the depression, is pressed inwardly by anysuitable instrument, forcing the shot and the metal of the bulge intothe depression 8, thus locking the cap in place and preventing its beingturned upon the neck 2.

9 indicates a conical valve-retainer suspended within the cap 5 by oneor more radial arms 10, secured at their inner ends to thevalve-retainer and at their outer ends to the inner surface of the cap.The lower edge 11 of this retainer is supported above the top edge 12 ofthe bottle-neck when the cap is in place to leave an opening 1-3 for theescape of liquid from the bottle when the valve drops away from itsseat. 14 indicates the valve, which is of conical form to fit within theretainer 9, and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the base of the cone-shapedvalve rests normally upon the flat top 12 of the neck to close thelatter against the introduction of liquid into the bottle. The upper endof the cap 5 is provided with a tubular mouth 15, adapted to be closedby a cork or other stopper.

' To prevent tampering with the valve by the introduction of a wire orother device through the opening 15, I provide a guard or protectorcomprising a disk 16, secured within the cap above and preferably to theretainer 9, arms 17 being provided to secure it to the side walls of thecap.

It will be apparent that so long as the bottle is in upright positionthe valve 1i retains its position upon the top of the neck 2, and

even when the bottle is tilted to a horizontal position, as shown inFig. 4, the valve is so guided by the retainer 9 as to maintain theparallelism of its base with the top of the bottleneck to close thelatter. hen, however, the bottle is inverted, as shown in Fig. 5, thevalve drops by gravity into the retainer 0, thus permitting the liquidto flow out of the bottle, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 5.

. In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 the screw-threaded engagement between the cap andbottle is not shown, but instead the depending end of the cap is bent orcrimped to take under the usual flange on the bottle-neck.

By combining with the bottle-neck the cap above descri'bed,containin gthe valve devices, I avoid the necessity of providing supplemental meansfor the introduction of air into the bottle to aid in expelling itscontents. It will be apparent that when the valve is in the positionshown in Fig. 5 an annular space of ample proportions is afforded forthe introduction of air into the bottle, said space being obviously ofgreater area than would be afiforded if the conical valve and itssupport in g devices were arranged within the contracted bottle-neck.

Again, an important advantage of my improvement is found in the factthat the cap with its contained valve devicesmay be removed from thebottle for refillin g by authorized parties without destroying thebottle, a new cap with identifying-labels being supplied. It is also tobe noted that no seat for the valve is required in the cap, the flatbase of the valve fitting directly and squarely upon the outer edge ofthe mouth of the bottle, which is preferably ground off smooth and flatfor this purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I 1. As a newarticle of manufacture, a bottle attachment comprising a cap adapted tofit on the end of the bottle-neck, a bottomless conical valve-retainersecured Within the cap so as to leave an intervening space between itand the end of the bottle-neck andan annular space around the retaineroutside of the neck-openin g for the inlet of air and outlet of liquid,and a conical valve having a base of greater diameter than theneck-opening and adapted to seat directly upon the end of the neck, saidvalve being retained in position between the end of the neck and theinterior of the retainer by the engagement of the cap with the neck.

2. lhe combination with a bottle-neck, of a separate cap fitting on theend thereof, an imperforate conical valve-retainer secured within thecap above the end of the bottleneck so as to leave an annular spacearound the retainer for the escape of liquid, said space increasing inwidth toward the end or thecap-opening, a conical valve havinga baseexceeding in diameter that of the neck-opening, and adapted to seat uponthe end of the neck, said valve being retained in position between theend of the neck and the interior of the retainer by the engagement ofthe cap with the neck, and being guided in its movements by theretainer.

3 The combination with a bottle-neck, or a separate cap fitting on theend thereof, an iniperforate conical valve-retainer secured within thecap above the end of the bottleneck so as to leave an annular spacearound the retainer for the escape of liquid, said space increasing inwidth toward the outer end of the cap, a conical valve having a baseexceeding in diameter that of the neck-opening, and adapted to seat uponthe end of the neck, said valve being retained in position between theend of the neck and the interior of the retainer by the engagement ofthe cap with the neck, and being guided in its move ments by theretainer, and a guard or protector secured within the cap between theretainer and the cap-opening;

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

' ELLWVOOD T. KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

WM. W. PRITOHETT, PAUL J. BOGAN.

